


Birds of a Feather

by vesaldi



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alphinaud is about as buoyant as a rock, Gen, Swimming, or sinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:21:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24065764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vesaldi/pseuds/vesaldi
Summary: Arenvald is taking the day off and has asked Lyse to take over Alphinaud's swimming lessons for the day.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	Birds of a Feather

“Sl–” Alphinaud began, interrupted by a gurgle as he briefly dipped beneath the surface of the water, “slow down!”

“Gods, if Alisaie were here she’d never let you live this down.”

Alphinaud flailed his way to the safety of the pier’s edge, heaving as he gripped onto it for dear life. “You are a _terrible_ instructor, Lyse,” he finally managed to utter between breaths. “I shall never complain about Arenvald’s methods again.”

“I expect he just tossed you into the water like a rock,” Lyse returned with a smirk. “Come on, I’m not _that_ bad…” She frowned at the expression on Alphinaud’s face. “…am I…?”

“Just swim, Alphinaud! It’s easy!” the younger boy mocked, his face turning to a glare as he finished.

“Okay, maybe I could have explained better,” Lyse admitted at she drifted closer to him.

Alphinaud raised an eyebrow. “I don’t believe ‘just swim,’” he began, making air quotes with one hand for emphasis as he gripped the pier with the other, “classifies as explanation of _any_ kind.”

“Look, I didn’t volunteer for this,” the Ala Mhigan retorted with a frown of her own.

“Twisted your arm, did he?” Alphinaud asked, his lip curling into a smile.

Lyse blushed. “Well…”

“As I thought,” the elezen confirmed smugly. “I daresay if I asked you to wrestle a dragon with naught but your bare hands you would be hard pressed to refuse!”

Now she was annoyed. “I can say no!”

Alphinaud laughed as she swam past him with a huff. Lyse wasted no time in hauling herself onto dry land, taking a brief moment to wring some of the excess water from her hair. Alphinaud’s high spirits dampened slightly as he unsuccessfully tried to claw his way up onto the safety of the pier.

“Lyse, a hand if you would be so kind.”

The Ala Mhigan looked down at her friend briefly before speaking. “No,” she finally replied.

Alphinaud blinked. “N… what do you _mean_ no?” he finally sputtered.

“No,” she repeated, unable to hide a smile.

“Lyse, t’was not a challenge, I assure you!” Alphinaud shouted after her as she began to walk away. “Lyse Hext, do not leave me here!”

 _I can’t hear you_ , she wanted to say as the smile on her face grew.

“ _Lyse, I will drown!_ ” Alphinaud screeched as she continued to walk. “ _Lyyyyyse!_ ”

* * *

“You really left the poor sap there in the water?” M’naago asked with a laugh before taking a sip from her mug.

“He practically dared me to,” Lyse shrugged. “Besides, he’ll be fine. He might’ve hollered like the spirits of the damned were after him, but he’s got enough upper body strength to pull himself out of the water.” She paused a moment. “I think.”

M’naago laughed. “You want to go back and check on him, don’t you?”

“No,” Lyse replied unbelievably. “Maybe.”

“If you go rescue the fledgling after you’ve pushed it from the nest, it’ll never learn to fly,” M’naago chided, earning an annoyed sigh from her friend.

“Alphinaud’s not a bird,” Lyse reminded her. “Although…” There was a pause, then a sigh. “I suppose he’ll be alright.”

“That’s more like it,” M’naago smiled, nudging a mug toward the other woman. “He’s right, though. You’re a terrible teacher.”

“Hey!”

“The truth hurts,” M’naago laughed. “I remember asking you to teach me your fighting technique. Didn’t learn a godsdamned thing.”

“Tonight is not gang up on Lyse night!”

M’naago grinned at her. “Oh, love, that’s _every_ night.”

The glare Lyse gave her was withering.

“Besides, Alphinaud and I hardly constitute a gang,” M’naago continued. “I suppose I could round up some–”

“ _No_ , thank you.”

The sight of Lyse’s growing pout just made M’naago laugh more. “Don’t worry, Alphinaud will be _fine_.”

“Yeah…” Lyse reached for her mug and took a rather large gulp. “Guess I’m lucky he’s too stubborn to drown.”

“Did I hear the word _drown?_ ”

Lyse closed her eyes and sighed. “…hells.”

“I ask you to watch him for _one_ day and you kill him?” Arenvald asked, inviting himself to the table beside the two women.

“I didn’t kill him!” Lyse was nearly beside herself, and her cheeks only grew more and more red as Arenvald, too, began to laugh. “ _It is not pick on Lyse night!_ ”

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, trying to stifle his continuing laughter. “There’ve definitely been times I’ve wanted to leave the ungrateful little snot to his own devices.”

Lyse grabbed her mug with both hands and drained the entirety before either of her friends could object. “You’re both terrible.”

“As are _you!_ ” All three heads turned to see the still sopping wet figure of Alphinaud not ten yalms from their table. Lyse was the first to laugh, though M’naago and Arenvald weren’t long behind.

Alphinaud’s cheeks now took on the rosy hue Lyse’s had just moments earlier, which did little to diminish the howls of laughter from his companions.

“I’m sorry, Alphinaud,” Arenvald managed between fits of laughter. “You just… you look like a drowned rat.”

It was a wonder none of them could hear Alphinaud’s teeth grind, and though it looked as if he might explode into one of his customary tirades, it appeared the embarrassment of the evening had him hold his tongue.

“Next time when you ask me a favor,” Lyse finally said, trying – and mostly failing – to keep a straight face, “you might remember that I _can_ say no.”

Alphinaud’s eyes widened, and then with a loud _harrumph_ the boy retreated in what he surely hoped looked to be a confident exit.

“Guess it’s pick on _Alphinaud_ night after all,” Arenvald commented with a smirk, nudging Lyse gently.

“He _did_ have a point, though,” Lyse admitted after a moment. “I’m _really_ bad at teaching.”

M’naago laughed. “That’s got to be Papalymo’s fault.”

Lyse held up on finger to silence her, then returned to her mug. A look of disappointment washed over her as she realized it was empty.

“Just apologize to him in the morning,” Arenvald suggested, getting up and grabbing the cup. “Works for me every time.”

“Every…?” Lyse began. “How often do you rile him up?”

“Might be easier to ask how often I manage _not_ to,” he replied with a laugh. “I’ll get us another round.”

“Good idea,” M’naago told him with a grin. “Better bring extras.”

Arenvald shook his head with a smile, gathering up the rest of the empty mugs and heading to find replacements.

“Don’t worry about Alphinaud,” M’naago urged her friend. “He’s got the attention span of a bird, too.”

“Oh no, he’ll _never_ forget this,” Lyse returned with a shake of her head. “He’ll just decide at some point that this was all a sign of camaraderie.”

M’naago raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it?”

Lyse smiled. “Absolutely.”

“I’ll drink to that,” M’naago returned with a chuckle. “Now where is that bloody Arenvald with my drink?”


End file.
